Las Vegas Qualifying Nightmare for Hamilton
Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton faces a monumental challenge at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, set to start from a devastating 20th and last position on the grid. The Ferrari driver's shocking exit in the first qualifying session (Q1) on the Las Vegas Strip has been attributed to a highly unusual incident involving a track bollard.
The Bollard Incident Explained
Sky Sports F1 pundit and expert Anthony Davidson pinpointed the likely cause of Hamilton's performance issues. Analysing onboard footage, Davidson revealed that during his warm-up lap with just two minutes remaining in Q1, Hamilton ran over a bollard at Turn 14.
"He seems to have just run over this cone," Davidson explained, scrutinising the clip. "I just want to see, is he looking down? He's obviously trying to position, but randomly hits the cone, and, ah, does it get stuck under his car?"
Davidson concluded that the lodged bollard could be the primary reason for the lack of performance, particularly through the final corners of the lap, scuppering Hamilton's final attempt to set a competitive time.
Hamilton's Frustration and Uphill Battle
When questioned by Sky Sports F1 about the bollard, a visibly upset Hamilton could offer little clarity, stating, "I couldn't really see much, to be honest." He also addressed speculation about abandoning his last lap, confirming he believed he had not crossed the line before the session ended. "As I came across the line, it was red, so it wasn't a miscommunication from our side," he explained.
In a post-qualifying interview, Hamilton delved deeper into his ongoing struggles. The F1 icon, who is yet to secure a podium finish in his first 21 starts for Ferrari, was candid about his feelings. "It feels horrible," he admitted. "It doesn't feel good. But all I can do, I've just got to let it go and try to come back tomorrow... This year is definitely the hardest year. We've got a really good car. It will be really hard to come back from 20th."
His Ferrari teammate, Charles Leclerc, also endured a difficult opening segment of qualifying, compounding a torrid Saturday for the Scuderia in Sin City. Hamilton now faces a long and demanding race on Sunday as he looks to mount a recovery and salvage crucial points from the back of the grid.
